Portland General Electric

Of course, it's going to be Portland. Oregon's largest city, known for its green-friendly vibe and policies, will be where Nissan will next test of its all-electric e-NV200 cargo van. And we hope those vans have cup holders for the inevitable java.

Portland, OR strives to be the U.S. hub for plug-in vehicles. What other city has dedicated an entire block to plug-in vehicle charging? During a ceremony on Tuesday, Portland mayor Sam Adams plugged in the first vehicle at "Electric Avenue" and dedicated the charger-lined street. On display for the ceremony were plug-in vehicles from Nissan, Chevrolet and Mitsubishi and charging stations from Eaton, Ecotality, General Electric, OpConnect, Shorepower Technologies, and SPX.

The Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. is known for its coffee shops, never-ending fields of aromatic hops and its affection for the electric vehicle (EV). Portland General Electric (PGE), in Oregon, touts the benefits of the plug-in vehicle with a frequency unmatched by most electric companies. PGE recently opened the nation's first public quick-charging station in downtown Portland, OR and has teamed up with automakers to prepare the Portland area for plug-in vehicles. But PGE's work in the